Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

Holy Compounds Gifted by the Magi as they Followed the Christmas Star to the Baby Jesus

In art, the travels and adoration of the magi appear historically earlier and much more frequently than any other scene of Jesus’ birth and infancy.

The number of art images of the three wise men exceed those of baby Jesus in a manger.

The Book of Matthew

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

~ Matthew 2:11

The Three Kings

The wise men bore gifts to baby Jesus. They remain unnamed. No other Biblical reference exists that describes the journey, gifts, and homage paid to the newborn Christ the King. Because there were three gifts, the story describes there were three wise men, three Magi who carried them.

Psalm 72:11: Yea, all kings shall fall down before him.

What is a Magi?

Britannica describes Magi as:

Magi, in Christian tradition, the noble pilgrims “from the East” who followed a miraculous guiding star to Bethlehem, where they paid homage to the infant Jesus as king of the Jews (Matthew 2:1–12). Christian theological tradition has always stressed that Gentiles as well as Jews came to worship Jesus—an event celebrated in the Eastern church at Christmas and in the West at Epiphany (January 6). Eastern tradition sets the number of Magi at 12, but Western tradition sets their number at three, probably based on the three gifts of “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11) presented to the infant.

In about the 8th century the names of three Magi—Bithisarea, Melichior, and Gathaspa—appear in a chronicle known as the Excerpta latina barbari. They have become known most commonly as Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar(or Casper). According to Western church tradition, Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia or sometimes Ethiopia, Melchior as a king of Persia, and Gaspar as a king of India.

Only Matthew describes the magi who followed an Eastern star to find Jesus. They inquired in towns, therefore King Herod heard of their search.

Matthew 2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

² Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Herod Tells the Magi to Search for the Christ in Bethlehem

In Matthew 2, Herod inquired of his priesrs, then told the wise men where to find the Christ.

⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

⁵ And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

⁶ And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

⁷ Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

⁹ When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Per the use of the word oikos, in the original Greek, Matthew describes the men arrived to visit Mary and Jesus sometime after His birth, in a house.

Like the Christmas carol describes in We Three Kings, they carried their gifts from afar and followed a star. This is a reminder of the truths that lie in the stars, and the study of the stars, which made these men wiser than any other in searching for and finding the King.

They travelled from afar, and it was the worst time of the year to take such a long journey. The winter weather was inclimate, the days became short, the sun was farthest off, in solsitio brumali, which was the very dead of winter.

The Timing

There are two main theories on the visitation timing. One is that it occurred two years after Christ’s birth, because after the Magi left Christ, they spoke to King Herod who then ruled the death of all boys up to two years old, in the Massacre of the Innocents.

Or it could have occurred two weeks later, on January 6, the traditional Orthodox Epiphany and feasr day of the Magi.

The Gifts

Theologians and Biblical scholars have studied to provide interpretations behind the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that were presented to baby Jesus by the Magi.

According to BiblicalArchaeology.org:

These valuable items were standard gifts to honor a king or deity in the ancient world: gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. In fact, these same three items were apparently among the gifts, recorded in ancient inscriptions, that King Seleucus II Callinicus offered to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus in 243 B.C.E.

The Book of Isaiah, when describing Jerusalem’s glorious restoration, tells of nations and kings who will come and “bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord” (Isaiah 60:6). Although Matthew’s gospel does not include the names or number of the magi, many believe that the number of the gifts is what led to the tradition of the Three Wise Men.

The gifts have symbolic and practical value, and scholars conclude that the medicinal properties and uses of frankincense were familiar to Matthew.

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Gold

Symbolic. Gold symbolizes the royalty of Christ the King. and myrrh a prefiguring of his death and embalming—an interpretation made popular in the well-known Christmas carol “We Three Kings.”

While most scholars believe this was literally a gift of gold, there are some who believe that it was turmeric, the golden root.

Practical. A precious metal, gold would have proven to be very valuable. Some believe that the “gold” brought by the Magi was curcumin, also known as the Golden Pigment from Golden Spice.

Curcumin is a supplement and top remedy for post-vaccine injury or spike support.

Curcumin is a compound found in turmeric, which is in the ginger plant family, derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant. Turmeric has been long used in Ayurvedic and ancient Chinese medicine for healing skin disorders and wounds.

Curcumin alleviates gut, joint, and lung problems, with research showing it has:

“antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities as indicated by over 6,000 citations”.

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Frankincense and Myrrh

Frankincense and myrrh are both used medicinally for their extracted tree resins. They are of the Burseraceae family, also known as the “torchwood” or “incense” family.

Whereas frankincense comes from the sap of Boswellia tree, myrrh comes from the veins of the Commiphora.

In the Catholic Church, both are used during services, where the priest swings a golden chamber that billows a plume of incense smoke of frankincense and/or myrrh. Frankincense has a citrus, sweet, pine aroma; myrrh has a complex scent described as rich, smoky, and slightly bitter.

Frankincense

Symbolic. Frankincense was used for worship in the Temple; it is symbolic of Christ the High Priest and represents his Christ’s kingship and priestly role.

Practical. According to BiblicalArchaeology.org:

Researchers at Cardiff University have demonstrated that frankincense has an active ingredient that can help relieve arthritis by inhibiting the inflammation that breaks down cartilage tissue and causes arthritis pain. The new study validates traditional uses of frankincense as an herbal remedy to treat arthritis in communities of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where the trees that produce this aromatic resin grow. Did the magi “from the East” know of frankincense’s healing properties when they presented it to young Jesus?

Frankincense is made from the resin of the Boswellia tree.

Health benefits of frankincense’s terpenes and boswellic acid may include reduction of arthritis inflammation, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

A 2017 NIH study showed that frankincense plus herbal medicines relieved abdominal pain, bloating, and its depression and anxiety in those with irritable bowel syndrome. Animal research shows frankincense oil can destroy pancreas cancer cells, bladder cancer cells, and breast cancer cells, as well as depression and pain suffered by cancer patients in hospice. Another study showed it decreases brain swelling by 75%, in over 60% of patients with blurred vision and migraines. It can help food digestion, help irritable bowel syndrome, help stress or depression, alleviate cold and flu symptoms with lung phlegm.

Frankincense may improve eczema and acne, and it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties on the skin, soothing inflammation and killing bacteria, a possible reason that Mary may have used it after childbirth. Maybe it helped with postpartum depression and restoration of estrogen hormone balance, and it has also been used to relieve menstrual bloating. It can even be used as a household cleaner.

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Myrrh

Myrrh is from Commiphora myrrha, a thorny bush that secretes a white pulp that is reduced to a resin. .

Symbolic. Myrrh a perfume used to anoint bodies of the dead, and is symbolic of Christ the Prophet’s death for the sake of truth.

Practical. Due to its antimicrobial properties, ancient Egyptians used frankincense and myrrh for mummification and treating wounds and skin sores.

Drugs.com cites some medicinal uses of myrrh:

Myrrh has been used for centuries as incense and for medicinal purposes. Medicinally, it has been used as an astringent, antiseptic, antiparasitic, antitussive, emmenagogue, and antispasmodic agent. It was commonly included in mixtures used to treat worms, wounds, and sepsis during the 4th century BC. Myrrh has also been reported to treat gout, headache, jaundice, throat ailments, indigestion, fatigue, and paralysis.

Myrrh has been used in a variety of infectious diseases, including leprosy and syphilis, and to treat cancers.

The Chinese have used myrrh in the management of a variety of skin and mouth infections. Myrrh played a key role in the religious ceremonies of the ancient Egyptians. Today, myrrh is used as a component of fragrances and as an astringent in mouthwashes and gargles.

…has a potential role in the treatment of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis…

Myrrh is contraindicated during breastfeeding and pregnancy. It can promote menstrual bleeding and lead to a miscarriage. It can interfere with blood thinners like warfarin or coumarin derivatives, causing a decrease in the international normalized ratio (INR).

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas! All Blessings!

This is my gift to you: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Spread the joy by sharing the gifts of the magi.

Thank you for reading my writings.

WHAT I REALLY THINK

I think there is much more to the stars than